Other changes are inevitable. Le Boss is said to be considering resting Manuel Almunia and giving Jens Lehmann a chance to prove that he's better, which would really seal his number 2 keeper status, and Ashley Cole may well sit out having picked up a minor injury on Tuesday.

Pascal Cygan is not back yet but Phillipe Senderos may well have played anyway. Flamini is out with a thigh problem, and Dennis Sol Gilberto and Aliadiere are all still injured too. As predicted, Edu won't be picked unless he signs a new contract, which is looking virtually certain not to happen now. Gilberto is hoping to make a comeback next month but may be being a bit optimistic there.

Former Arsenal defender John Halls is struggling to make the game with a back injury which has required him to rest for the last 3 games, but according to the official Stoke site he's feeling determined and optimistic. Stoke could do with him because Stoke have lost Michael Duberry after he was recalled early by Leeds from a 3 month loan.

It looks like their captain Clive Clarke is available despite a sending off in their last game at the City Ground. The FA have deferred the defender's suspension pending a decision on the technicality of the red card coming after the end of the match. But his run of bad form and poor discipline is thought to be endangering his captaincy. But another defender Clint Hill, who was sent off in the same match 5 minutes before the end, is banned. Defensive problems is good news, Stoke kept 7 clean sheets in a row in December (although the festive season brought them rather less cheer with just 1 point from 12).

Gerry Taggart probably won't be playing, he's been out for 2 months with an ankle problem and is due to make his comeback for the reserves first. The Potters have just taken midfielder Jason Jarrett on a month's loan from Wigan. He hasn't played this season, and it looks like Wigan will let him play in the Cup. Arsenal have never lost a cup tie to Stoke, in 8 FA Cup and 3 League cup matches. See Arsenal vs Stoke page for Potters links and head to head stats.

Update Friday afternoon, the official site's preview says that Freddie and Ashley are both injured and missing Sunday's game. It doesn't say who will replace them; we can guess at Clichy and Pennant but Wenger may have another youngster in mind.